This appetizer came to me when I was house-sitting for my best friend's mom several years ago and had a piece of flank steak and access to about a million condiments. Since then, those same condiments have become staples in my own fridge, so I can make this dish whenever.

In these bites you have crunch from the phyllo shell (or heck, use a Triscuit), a creamy hit of heat from the horseradish mayo, topped with succulent salty sweetness from the steak. And the best part is that you can make the horseradish mayo and even the steak in advance - it can be served cold. Just don't assemble too early, as the cracker or shell will get soggy. Make these for your 4th of July bash - you won't regret it!

Here's what you'll need for the steak and marinade:

1 lb flank (or skirt) steak

3/4 cup soy sauce

1 tbsp minced ginger

2 tbsp hoisin sauce

1 tbsp sesame oil

1/2 tbsp sriracha

1 tsp fish sauce

1 tbsp rice vinegar

I pour the marinade ingredients into a Ziploc bag, poke the steak with a fork several times so it can absorb the flavors, then add it to the bag. I let it marinate at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

We no longer have a grill, so I have to rely on our indoor grill pans. Here's my hack for keeping your stove clean: lay aluminum foil under the grill pan (not covering the flame) so that it extends past the pan and protects your stove top.

When it's time to grill, use tongs to pull the flank steak out of the marinade bag, and use your hand holding the outside of the bag to sort of squeegee off any excess marinade. Like this:

Grill on high heat for 5-6 minutes per side, rotating to get crosshatch char marks.

While the steak is grilling, make your horseradish sauce and heat up phyllo shells (if using) based on package directions. You ain't gotta heat up yer Triscuits!

Mix up the horseradish mayo and set aside:

2 tbsp mayo

1/2 cup sour cream

3/4 tbsp prepared horseradish (this is kind of mild, bump it up if you like the heat)

2 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp salt

Let the steak rest for 10 minutes after taking it off the grill, then thinly slice and cube.

These are super easy and always a crowd-pleaser. They're also good without a cracker or phyllo cup, as steak bites with a horseradish dip, or thinly sliced steak sandwiches! If you wanted to make this execution super patriotic for the 4th of July this week, you could garnish with a blueberry for a sweet pop, and that red white and blue motif. Enjoy and stay safe!